Treatment of inflammatory bowel disease with vitamin d compounds

A method of treating inflammatory bowel disease comprising administering to a patient with said disease an effective amount of a compound having the formula:

• 7
• where Y1 and Y2, which may be the same or different, are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and a hydroxy-protecting group, where Z1 and Z2 are both hydrogen or Z1 and Z2 together are ═CH2, where X, and X2 are both hydrogen, or one is hydrogen and the other is O-aryl, O-alkyl, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or fluoroalkyl and can have an α or β configuration, or taken together represent an alkylidene group ═CR6R7 where R6 and R7, which may be the same or different, are each selected from hydrogen, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl and fluoroalkyl, or, when taken together represent the group —(CH2)x— where x is an integer from 2 to 5, and can have an α or β configuration, and where the group R is represented by the structure:
• 8
• where the stereochemical center at carbon 20 may have the R or S configuration, and where Z is selected from Y, —OY, —CH2OY, —C≡CY and —CH═CHY, where the double bond may have the cis or trans geometry, and where Y is selected from hydrogen, methyl, —COR5 and a radical of the structure:
• 9
• where m and n, independently, represent the integers from 0 to 5, where R1 is selected from hydrogen, deuterium, hydroxy, protected hydroxy, fluoro, trifluoromethyl, and C1-5-alkyl, which may be straight chain or branched and, optionally, bear a hydroxy or protected-hydroxy substituent, and where each of R2, R3, and R4, independently, is selected from deuterium, deuteroalkyl, hydrogen, fluoro, trifluoromethyl and C1-5 alkyl, which may be straight-chain or branched, and optionally, bear a hydroxy or protected-hydroxy substituent, and where R1 and R2, taken together, represent an oxo group, or an alkylidene group, ═CR2R3, or the group —(CH2)p—, where p is an integer from 2 to 5, and where R3 and R4, taken together, represent an oxo group, or the group (CH2)q—, where q is an integer from 2 to 5, and where R5 represents hydrogen, hydroxy, protected hydroxy, or C1-5 alkyl and wherein any of the CH-groups at positions 20, 22, or 23 in the side chain may be replaced by a nitrogen atom, or where any of the groups —CH(CH3), —CH(R3)—, or —CH(2)— at positions 20, 22, and 23, respectively, may be replaced by an oxygen or sulfur atom.